Railwaymen's Claims Before Tribunal

Chronicle (Levin), 22 November 1949, Page 4

Railwaymen's Claims Before Tribunal

WELLINGTON, Nov. 21. Seventy-five claiths \verfe listed for eonsideration wh'eri the llailways Industriai Tribunal *fegUmfed sitting today under the chairmanship of Mr. Stilwell, E.M. Other members were Messrs E. Casey and E. A. Whitlow. The assessor for the Railvvays Department was Mr. N. L. &t'evenson- and for the A.S.lt.S., Mr. J. A. Barton. An extension of the issue of privilege tickets for railway travel in resjifeet df temporary employees claimed earlier by the A.S.K.E., was agreed to by the creneral-Martager of Railways as respondent. The eftect is to maintain thfe privilege ticket where nen-employ-ment of temporary workers during periods of slackness of work, was unavoidable. It was agreed by the parties that the application in 1948 for an isolatipn ailowance of a pcPny houi'ly, be the subject of a General-Manager 's' order, the' number of stations alfected being reduced to sfevfen. Bpeeial- time-and-a-half rates of pay for men working with rock and water eage on the Rimutaka incline, were agreed to by the respondent with no uiinibiutn time on that job. The General-Manager claimed for an increase in the overnight allowances payable to second division employees absent from their headqub.rters on duty where the Department did not provide aceommodation. Increases offered ranged up to 22s 6d fir the first six night s in any one locality, compared with rate of 17s (3d. The respondent A.S.R.S. counter-claimed for 22s (Id a night irrespective of the period of absenefe. It is estimated that the claim, if suecessful, would cost £9600 y early. Mr. J. S. Berry, advocate for the A.S.R.S., ai.d on bekalf of other general divisidn wdrkefs, submilted that tho amounts offered in the GeneralManager 's claim did not adequately reimbtirse members for travfellirig ahd relieving expenses and also that no difference should pxist between general division and salaried division alldwanees. The latter division workers were allowfed an average of 23s 4d a night, he said.